The Defence Attaché to Nigeria Embassy of Japan, Lt.-Col. Morita Tatsuya, says Japan remains committed to peace and stability in Nigeria and Africa.

Mr Tatsuya said this in an interview with journalists on Monday in Lagos.

He spoke on the sideline of the opening of the Counter Violent Extremism (CVE) Course 5/2024 at the Nigerian Army School of Finance and Administration (NASFA).

The course was organised by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Martin Luther Agwai International Leadership and Peacekeeping Centre (MLAILPKC) in conjunction with the Government of Japan.

According to Mr Tatsuya,through human resource development in partnership with UN agencies, Japan will deploy every necessary support to ensure peace and stability in Nigeria and the continent of Africa.

“Over the years, Japan has consistently shown its commitment to supporting essential training for African-led peace support operations and capacity building.

“Japan recognises the significant role of African-led Peace Support Operations in maintaining peace and stability in Africa.

“In Nigeria, we have been supporting the Peacekeeping Operation (PKO) training in partnership with the UNDP and PKO training centres for the past six years, including this one,” he said.

He said that the friendship between Japan and Nigeria in the area of defence had been strengthened ever since the first Defence Attaché was posted to their embassy in 2015.

“Although direct defence cooperation between Japan and Nigeria is yet to be realised, we will like to work towards a stronger partnership,” he said.

The Japanese officer expressed optimism that the training would provide participants with the necessary knowledge to combat violent extremism and to protect Nigeria and the ECOWAS region.

He commended the organisers of the course and thanked them in their efforts to provide the participants with the essential skills and knowledge to counter violent extremism in the ECOWAS region.

Also speaking, the commandant, MLAILPKC, Maj.-Gen. Taiwo Adedoja, said that to tackle the scourge of violent extremism, governments, civil society and international organisations must collaborate towards ending the scourge.

Mr Adedoja said that in recent times, violent extremism had become a gateway to terrorism, fuelling devastating attacks, destabilising communities, spreading hatred and claiming countless innocent lives.

“This course is designed in line with the UN’s training standards and qualifies participants to be deployed in integrated peacekeeping operations under the auspices of UN, AU and ECOWAS.

“By the end of the course, participants would be empowered to impact positive change and contribute to enhancing peace, security and safety of the citizens in Nigeria and Africa,” he said.

The UNDP representative, Williams Tusma, said that violent extremism posed a serious challenge to the realisation of SDGs and Agenda 2030 in the sub-region.

Mr Tusma urged participants to dedicate themselves to the course and acquire the needed knowledge that would engender contributions to the socio-economic development of our region.

“We must be unified, pungent, swift, and borderless in our response to this threat.

“This requisite knowledge will also help in the achievement of SDGs and Agenda 2030, as well as African Development Agenda 2063.

“I thank the MLAILPKC, the Government of Japan and the Ministry of Budget and National Planning (MBNP) for their continuous strong partnership with UNDP and for making the event a reality,” he said.

(NAN)